Washington D.C., Jul 27, 2005 / 22:00 pm
While the press and liberal observers have been criticizing the nomination of John Roberts for the Supreme Court because of his Catholic faith, Associated Press contributor Richard Ostling points out that “history shows a justice's religion does not provide a roadmap for rulings.”
Ostling analyzes the situation based on the issue of abortion, which he calls “the main religious matter swirling around Roberts' nomination.” In fact, an AP-Ipsos poll released last week found 52 percent of Americans want Roberts to reveal his position on abortion before the Senate confirmation vote.
While Catholic judges Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas oppose abortion, another Catholic judge, Anthony Kennedy, voted in favor of reaffirming Roe v. Wade in 1992, Ostling observes.
In addition, he says, Judge William Brennan, the only Catholic on the Supreme Court in 1973, voted in favor of liberal access to abortion.